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(No Model.)

G. O. LAOKEY. Clothes Prop.

No. 238,404. Patented March 1,1881;

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lJNrrna STATES PATENT rrrcn.

GASWAY O. LAOKEY, OF AKRON, OHIO, ASSIGNOB OF ONE-HALF TO WIL- LIAM H. LAGKEY, OF SAME PLACE.

CLOTH ES-PROP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 238,404, dated March 1, 1881.

Application filed April 5, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GASWAY O. LAOKEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Akron, in the county of Summit and State of Ohio,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clothes-Line Props; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it ap- 1O pertains to make and use the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to an improved con- [5 struction of clothes-props; and the invention consists in a clothesprop composed of a stick having on one end a V-shaped metallic tip to enter the ground to hold up the prop when in use, and having on the other end a tip for engaging and supporting the clothes-line, such tip being made with an inverted-\I-shaped body which is adapted to fit over the end of the stick. and is provided with holes for the reception of fastening devices, and with spring lips or tines punched from such body and bent up to form a line-cavity and a spring-entrance thereto, all as hereinafter specified and claimed.

In the drawings hereinbefore referred to, in the several figures of which like parts are 0 similarly designated, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my prop; Fig. 2, an enlarged side elevation, the prop being broken in two. Fig. 3 is an edge View of the line-tip and upper end of the prop; and Fig. at is a plan view of the 5 blank from which the line-tip is formed, showin g the tine portions punched out.

I may remark in the outset that clothesprops have heretofore been made with castmetal-tined line-tips and cast-metal sockets;

also with spring line-tips; also with separate independently-iastened sheet-metal line-tips 5 and alsowith a spring end piece curved over a groove in the wood of the prop to receive and retain the clothes-line.

.5 In carrying out my invention I employ a piece, a, of three-quarters or inch lumber,wider than thick, and reduce both ends to V-shaped points, upon one of which is secured a tip, 1), adapted to support or engage a clothes-line,

and upon the other is fastened a tip, f, adapted to enter the earth to retain the prop upright. The line-tip b is punched from sheet metal, a cheap quality of steel now in the market being preferred. As a blank this line-tip is of the form shown in Fig. 4. By means of a suitable punch the lips c are cut, and by suitable machinery these lips are turned up out of the blank and curved somewhat like an S, as shown in Fig. 2, so as to form a cavity, 1, into which the clothes-line is received, the ends of the lips or tines being caused to approach each other just above the line-cavity, and forming springs, which yield to permit the introduction of the clothes-line by pressure into the cavity 1., and to prevent it from accidentally slipping out of such cavity. Holes (1 d are also punched in the blank, and the blank then bent into the shape of an inverted V, with the tines or lips c projecting from the apex. This tip is then secured to the stick a by suitable nails or other fastenings, c. The ground-tipfis also punched or cut from sheet metal, such as the before-mentioned steel, bent in V shape, and secured to the stick by suitable nails or equivalentfasteniugs,g,driventhroughholespunched in it. In Fig. 1 the prop is seen in position in connection with a clothes-line.

The notoriously hard use to which clothesprops are subjected would soon break castinetal tips, and to make sheet or spring metal available it must be cheap and durable and the tips so constructed as to be readily and cheaply manufactured. I believe I have combined these requisites in my invention.

What I claim is- The clothes-prop herein shown, composed of the stick a, the ground-tipf, and the line-engaging tip b, the latter consisting of an inverted-\l-shaped body adapted to fit over the stick, provided with holes for the reception of c fastening devices, and with spring lips or tines punched from such body and bent up to form a line-cavity and a spring-entrance thereto, all substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature 5 in presence of two witnesses.

GASWAY O. LAOKEY.

Witnesses J. E. LAOKEY, EDWIN J. LAoKEY. 

